Vehicle-license-number exhibitor.



W. N. JOHNSON.

VEHICLE LlGENSE NUMBER EXHIBITOR. APPLICATION man JUNE 30.1915.

Patented Sept. 18, 1.917.

wmh Q ber Exhibitors, of which the WILLIAM NOEL JOHNSON, OF MINNEDOSA, MANITOBA, CANADA.

VEHICLE-LICENSE-NUMBEK EXHIBITOR.

Application filed June 30, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM NOEL J oun- SON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Minnedosa, in the Province of Manitoba and Dominion of Canada,'have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-License-Numfollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to vehicle license number exhibitors and more particularly to a means whereby license numbers may be brilliantly illuminated and thus more clearly displayed for public view.

An object of the invention is to light concentrating means which, if

provide a utilized,

, may be detachably secured to the ordinaryv tail end lamp. of an automobile or other vehicle to direct the light rays emanating from said lamp to a point in such proximity to the license number or tag as to clearly exhibit said number for view.

As a further object of the invention I contemplate a means whereby the sign structure may be turned, without detachment from the lamp, to exhibit for view, the number, from various angles.

A still further to provide a number sign or tag of a construction permitting interior illumination.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as are in their preferred embodiment in panying drawings, described in ing specification and then more particularly ointed out in the claims pended hereto and form a part of this application.

In describing my invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein likie characters enote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which a Figure 1 is an elevation of a tail end lamp equipped with my improved license number exhibiting means; i

Fig. 2 is a top the dotted lines indicating the movement of the sign structure;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 with the lamp removed;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, the sign structure having been swung at an angle ofapproximate the accom- Fig. 5 is a fragmentary VIQW illustrating- Specification of Letters Patent.

object of the invention is said frame being open at whereby to-receive illustrated the follow-1 1 ture is cut away as indicated which are ap of the sign structure Wlll cause plan view of the device,

Patented Sept. 18, 1917..

Serial No. 37,315, the sign structure with its interior light extinguished; Fig. 6 is an enlarged section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3; and y Fig. 7 is a similar view on the line 7-7 of Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals, 1 designates the body of an automobile or other vehicle equipped with a tail end lamp 2. What may be termed alight concentrating tube 3, of a frusto-conical formation, is detachably secured to the lamp 2, the enlarged or diverged end of the tube inclosing the lamp lens whereby to concentrate the light rays emanating from the lamp and direct said rays to the smaller or converged end" of the tube. Tube 3 is Equipped with a light reflecting inner surace.

The detachable fastening means may consist of diametrically opposed keepers 4 which, in actual practice,

may overlap the lens frame or lamp front in a manner shownto advantage in Figs. 1 and 2. The tube'3 at its converged end is extended as indicated at '5 whereby to form a substantially rectangular frame. A sign structure, designated as an entirety by the numeral 6, is

mounted for rotation within the frame 5, its opposite end frame 5, the light rays directed interiorly thereof through the agency of the concentrating tube. One side of the sign strucat 7 to represent the license number to be exhibited. Behind this number, I fasten by any suitable means such as indicated at 8 a colored translucent plate 9 which, when the lamp 2 is extinguished and during the day-time will exhibit for view in a clear and clean cut manner the license number .cut in the sign structure in the manner aforesaid. At night, or when the lamp is concentration of the light rays interiorly the license number to stand out prominently and the complete" number to be exhibited in the manner desired.

The sign structure 6 is fastened within the frame 5 through the medium of pivot pins 10 and'll, the latter, pin 11 carrying a thumb nut 12 adjustable on said pin to -afford a lock means whereby the sign structure may be held against movement subse- 7 when alined with the lighted, the

. the structure 6, the brilliancy quent to adjustment at various angles relatively to the frame 5. The sign structure 6 when turned to assume the position indicated inFig. 4 of the drawings may be interiorly cleaned and the translucent glass or plate 9 easily removed.

From the foregoing, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings it is evident that the full light rays generated by the tail end lamp 2 are directed interiorly of the sign structure 6 for the purpose specified; that the said sign structure may be turned relatively to the frame 5 and the license tag or number made invisible by presenting the opposite or blank side of the sign structure for public view; and thatby the provision of a reflective interior for of the exhibiting member may be increased Without an increase in the lighting efficiency of the lamp.

In reduction to practice, I have found that the form of my invention, illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, is the most efiicient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent withthe adoption of my device will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of the advantages of'my invention as defined in the appended claims.

aving thus fully described my inven tion, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a vehicle license number exhibitor,

' concentrating tube into which the combination with a lamp, of a light the light rays emanating from said lamp are directed, a sign structure mounted to rotate In a vehicle license number exhibitor, the combination with a lamp, of a light concentrating tube into which emanating from said lamp are directed, extensions formed at the outer end of said tube, an open-ended sign structure mounted to rotate between said-extensions and to be placed in alinement with the tube to receive light rays therein from said tube, and a means to maintain said sign structure in its adjusted position with respect to said tube.

3. In a vehicle license number exhibitor, the combination with a lamp, of a substantially frusto-conical light concentrating tube, means for releasably fastening said tube to the lamp, a frame integral with the tube at the converged end thereof, a hollow sign structure rotatable relatively to and Within said frame, the opposite terminals of the sign structure being open to the tube to receive the light rays directed thereto, and means to fasten said sign structure against rotation.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM NOEL JOHNSON.

itnesses JOHN S. HANNA, WALTER MANN.

the light rays 

